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Nature walks in Rwenzori mountains
Nature walks in Rwenzori Mountains are among the activities to take part in when visiting the Rwenzori National Park. Mount Rwenzori being the 3rd highest mountain in Africa at an altitude of 5109 meters has a lot to offer in terms of diversity in plant life as well as attractions like waterfalls, glacial lakes, and so much more in the different zones on the mountain.
The guided nature walks in Rwenzori mountains are usually done in the morning bringing visitors of the national park closer to the natural surroundings and attractions of the mountains of the moon. Different trails can be followed during the nature walks in Rwenzori mountains and they include the trails in the central circuit zone, Bwamba pass trail, Ruboni trail and also the Kilembe trail. In the central circuit, the trails lead to lakes such as Lake Mahooma as well as forests.
The central circuit trail also leads to the local communities of Kichamba and continues to the Karangura ridge. To make the nature walks and hikes easier on Mount Rwenzori, there are board walks and ladders along the routes especially in the areas which are muddy. These guided nature walks that can take place outside the Rwenzori mountains national park are also offered by the local communities around Ruboni and turaco view. These trails follow River Mubuku where you can also see the Mount Baker peak as well as the Portal peak.
The Ruboni village walk takes about 3 hours and is carried out around the Ruboni village where visitors can also get to interact with the locals and get to know their way of life, culture and traditions. The Bakonzo people are among the locals who live in the surrounding areas of the Rwenzori mountain. The Margherita peak on a clear day can also be seen during the nature walks following this trail. Different wildlife species can be spotted along the trail such as chameleons, vervet monkeys, squirrels, l´hoest monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys and various bird species can also be seen.
Rwenzori nature hike
Rwenzori mountains have over 217 bird species and some of these include the Rwenzori turaco, Archers robin chat, black billed turaco, scarlet tufted sunbird, regal sunbird, scaly spurfowl, pigeons, doves, Ross´s turaco, African emerald cuckoo, montane nightjar, white spotted flufftail, long toed lapwing, grey herons, little egrets, glossy ibis, vultures, kites, eagles, mountain buzzards among others. Another trail followed during nature walks in Rwenzori mountains is along the Bwamba pass which is a direct route between settlements about 1500 meters over the steep Mount Rwenzori ridge. The Bwamba pass leads to the Bundibugyo area.
The community which guides the trail over the northern Rwenzori ridge is the Abanya Rwenzori community group. This community also takes visitors around the villages and also through the bamboo forest where they can enjoy more beautiful views. The nature walks along the northern pass trail takes about 7 to 8 hours and is carried out at an altitude of 3000 meters.
During the nature walks in Rwenzori mountains some of the things to pack include hiking shoes, rain jackets, hats, long trousers, long sleeved shirts, enough drinking water and snacks, sunscreen among other items. Park entrance fees charged during nature walks in Rwenzori mountains national park is 35 USD for foreign nonresidents, 25 USD for foreign residents and 15,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
The nature walks in Rwenzori mountains national park cost 30 USD for foreign nonresidents, 15 USD for foreign residents and 10,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans. The hikes along the Bukurungu trail and the Kazingo trail in Rwenzori mountains national park cost 50 USD for foreign nonresidents, 40 USD for foreign residents and 40,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans. Porter fees is about 40,000 Uganda shillings and a cook charges about 30,000 Uganda shillings.
BEST TIME TO GO HIKING IN Rwenzori Mountains
Nature walks in the Rwenzori mountains can be done at anytime of the year but the dry season is considered the best time to take part in this activity. The dry season is experienced around June, July and August and also around December and February. Some tourists can also engage in nature walks during the rainy season around March to May and around November and sometimes it also rains during the dry season. The rains make the trails in the Rwenzori mountains slippery and hiking as well as nature walks are difficult to engage in such conditions.
Other activities to do around Rwenzori mountains
Apart from nature walks around the Rwenzori mountains, there are other activities to do around the destination include the following;
- Hiking is a major activity which is carried out during tours around the Rwenzori mountains and there are different routes used. The routes used for hiking include the central circuit trail which is the most popular as well as the oldest route used to get to the Margherita peak on Mount Rwenzori.
Another route used for hiking is the Kilembe trail. The peaks on Mount Rwenzori include the Margherita peak which is the highest at an altitude of 5109 meters, Mount Baker at an altitude of 4842 meters, Mount Speke at an altitude of 4890 meters and Weismann´s peak at an altitude of 4620 meters.
- Community tours around the Rwenzori mountains national park involve interactions with the locals and getting to know about their way of life and culture.
- Photography is another activity which tourists can take part as they visit the Rwenzori mountains national park.
- Bird watching can also be carried out around the Rwenzori mountains national park which is home to a variety of bird species.
Visiting the neighboring national parks in the western part of Uganda such as Queen Elizabeth national park can also be part of the experience after nature walks or hikes in the Rwenzori mountains national park.
How to get to Rwenzori mountains for nature walks
Rwenzori mountains national park can be accessed by road and also by flight during nature walks and other activities around the destination.
Two different routes can be used to get to Rwenzori mountains national park during tours in western Uganda and they include the following;
- The Kampala-Fort portal-Kasese route which is a shorter route that takes about 5 to 6 hours of driving.
- The southern route which is the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara-Kasese route which takes about 7 hours of driving.
The alternative way of getting to Rwenzori mountains national park is by booking a domestic flight from Entebbe international airport to Kasese airport. These flights are offered by airlines such as Aerolink and Bar Aviation
